Medical devices comprising small fiber biomaterials, and methods of use
First Claim
1. An in vivo device, comprising:
- a medical device selected from a group consisting of an artificial ligament, an artificial tendon, an artificial knee joint, a vascular graft, an artificial heart valve, and a biosensor; and
a layer of a plurality of randomly oriented fibers consisting of a single synthetic homopolymer fiber, substantially all of said plurality of fibers each comprising a portion having a maximum diameter of at least five micrometers,wherein substantially all of those fibers of the layer that contact at least one external surface of the medical device are directly, fully bonded to the entirety of the at least one external surface of the medical device, wherein said contact consists of said fibers and said external surface, andwherein the Young'"'"'s modulus of the layer is no more than 1.00 GPa.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one aspect the present invention provides medical devices 10 that each include a plurality of fibers 22, substantially all of the plurality of fibers 22 each including a portion having a maximum diameter of at least five micrometers, wherein substantially all of fibers 22 form a layer on at least one external surface of medical device 10. In another aspect, the present invention provides methods of manufacturing medical devices 10, the methods including the steps of: (a) applying a layer comprising a plurality of fibers 22 to at least one surface of medical device 10; and (b) matching the value of the Young'"'"'s modulus of the layer to +/−35% (in some embodiments to +/−20%) of the value of the Young'"'"'s modulus of an animal tissue.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An in vivo device, comprising:
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a medical device selected from a group consisting of an artificial ligament, an artificial tendon, an artificial knee joint, a vascular graft, an artificial heart valve, and a biosensor; and a layer of a plurality of randomly oriented fibers consisting of a single synthetic homopolymer fiber, substantially all of said plurality of fibers each comprising a portion having a maximum diameter of at least five micrometers, wherein substantially all of those fibers of the layer that contact at least one external surface of the medical device are directly, fully bonded to the entirety of the at least one external surface of the medical device, wherein said contact consists of said fibers and said external surface, and wherein the Young'"'"'s modulus of the layer is no more than 1.00 GPa. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An in vivo device, comprising:
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a medical device selected from a group consisting of an artificial ligament, an artificial tendon, an artificial knee joint, a vascular graft, an artificial heart valve, and a biosensor; and a layer of a plurality of randomly oriented fibers consisting of a single synthetic homopolymer fiber, substantially all of said plurality of fibers each comprising a portion having a maximum diameter of at least five micrometers, wherein substantially all of those fibers of the layer that contact at least one external surface of the medical device are directly, fully bonded to the entirety of the at least one external surface of the medical device, wherein said contact consists of said fibers and said external surface, wherein the Young'"'"'s modulus of the layer is no more than 1.00 GPa, and wherein said layer is a mesh.
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Specification